This invention relates to a lock assurance mechanism for securing the fitting and locking between female and male housings of a connector used for interconnecting wire harnesses.
An electric wiring system for an automotive vehicle, such for example as a safety circuit for an air bag, is concerned directly with a human life in the event of an emergency, and therefore it is necessary to take such measures that incomplete fitting and locking, or an incomplete contact resulting therefrom, will not develop at connected portions made by a connector.
In view of this, the Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 1-66977 has proposed a lock assurance mechanism, as shown in FIG. 8, in which when a male housing b is fitted in a female housing a, engagement release levers f displace flexible retaining pieces c1 of a lock assurance member c to release provisional engagement of these retaining pieces with retaining projections b1, and by moving the member c, an incomplete fitting of a connector is detected. In this Figure, reference character a1 denotes a hood, reference character a2 a lock chamber, reference character d a lock arm having a retaining projection d1, and reference character e a retaining hole for engagement with the retaining projection d1.
In the lock assurance mechanism shown in FIG. 8, when or after the female and male housings a and b are disconnected from each other, it is necessary to reset the lock assurance member c so as to provisionally engage the flexible retaining pieces c1 with the retaining projections b1. If this is neglected, it is impossible to detect an incomplete fitting at the time of the next fitting, and it has been pointed out that the operation is cumbersome and that defective products tend to be produced.